Yoga: what exercises to start this practice?

Yoga, this discipline from India conquered more and more followers. According to Indian yogis, this sports practice allows you to maintain your body to keep your soul there. Both a gentle gym and a spiritual opening, yoga is accessible to everyone, in group lessons, at home or in nature.

Here are 5 beginner exercises to do at home to start yoga.

What are the benefits of doing yoga?

By definition, yoga means “to connect”, “to unite”. It’s a whole philosophy of life that revolves today around this gentle sport. Indeed, yoga serves to unify a person by taking into account all of its aspects:

• physical: through bodily exercises, postures, positions;
• psychic and spiritual: meditation, breathing.

The benefits of yoga are numerous. The various exercises of this sport offer the body a better flexibility thanks to muscular stretching. The range of motion is higher. Balance is better and muscle building is stronger. By practicing yoga regularly, errors in posture can be corrected, which can relieve back pain. For pregnant women, this sport gently works the perineum, back or hips.

Yoga helps to reduce stress. It regulates the emotions, in particular thanks to the acceptance of emotional states sometimes considered negative. Also, we learn not to repress sensations, even unpleasant ones. Yoga allows a better anchoring, because we focus on the present moment thanks to deep breathing exercises. This discipline also helps to regain a quality of sleep, concentration and a more zen and serene state of mind.

Before starting yoga at home

To start this sport, it is essential to get in shape and choose the right exercises for beginners. Indeed, doing yoga alone at home is not supervised by a teacher and it is necessary to perform the postures correctly.

We advise you to avoid sound interference such as television and to switch off your smartphone. You can practice yoga at home or in your garden, in peace, listening to the sounds of nature or relaxing music. It is best to perform the different postures on a foam yoga mat.

Always be kind to yourself, the goal of yoga is not sports performance. On the contrary, you have to do the sequences at your own pace.

Yoga: 5 exercises for beginners

Once the conditions are met, start by lying down completely on your yoga mat. Remember to relax the neck, head, upper and lower limbs. Stay still for a few minutes, at rest, without doing anything except listening to your breathing, nature or the music.

How to do yoga will no longer be an unanswered question, thanks to these 5 exercises to start this sport practice.

Exercise n°1: the posture of the child

To begin this yoga exercise:

• Get on all fours;
• place the buttocks on your heels;
• keep your arms stretched forward or position your hands under your forehead.

If you wish, you can spread the knees for more ease and to stretch the thighs. The time of 5 inspirations and deep breaths, hold this position in order to begin to let go. This posture is ideal to start your yoga session at home, because it promotes relaxation and calms the mind. It is also possible to offer it to children in the evening before sleeping, as it calms the mind and slows down the heart rate.

Exercise n°2: the posture of the cobra

Continue with the second yoga exercise by returning to your knees to achieve the posture of the cobra:

• Lie on your stomach and place your legs completely on the mat;
• lower the buttocks;
• raise your head looking towards the sky;
• arch your back;
• pull out the chest;
• the shoulders are relaxed and away from the ears.

This position is used to open the chakras and regain energy. It gives self-confidence, reduces physical tension and reduces fatigue.

Exercise n°3: the cat stretch

Continue your beginner yoga session at home with the cat stretch by following the steps:

• Get on all fours;
• the arms are in line with the shoulders, the fingers are apart;
• the legs are bent and perfectly parallel;
• on a deep inspiration, hollow the lower back as much as possible and raise the head towards the sky;
• on a deep exhale, round your back and lower your head to the ground.

This yoga exercise is ideal for relieving back pain. Indeed, repeating this sequence 5 to 10 times stretches the spine and strengthens the abdominal strap.

Exercise n°4: the posture of the warrior

This yoga posture is ideal for beginners, as it is rather easy to perform. To start, stand up, then:

• Place one leg back, foot well anchored to the ground, at a 45° angle;
• the other leg is placed forward, the knee forms a right angle and it is perfectly aligned above the foot;
• the hips are forward;
• the arms are stretched towards the sky;
• the gaze is turned towards the thumbs or towards a high and fixed point.

Hold this position for 3 deep breaths, then repeat it at least 3 times.

Due to its uncomfortable side, the posture of the warrior reinforces concentration, but also balance. It challenges perseverance and coordination. Also, the muscles of the legs and stomach are stronger.

Exercise n°5: the posture of the tree

This yoga exercise is practiced standing:

• The feet are on the ground;
• the hips are in line with the feet;
• the back and the head are straight, the chest is open;
• fix a point in front of you;
• bend the knee forward gradually until it is positioned on the side.
• the foot rests on the inside of the supporting leg;
• raise your hands to the sky.

The tree pose improves concentration, stability and balance. In addition, it promotes inner peace.